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19 Mar 2007 : Column 732W—continued



19 Mar 2007 : Column 733W

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts have received an improvement notice as a result of failure to comply with the Code of Practice since October 2006. [123062]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: No improvement notices have been issued yet. The Health Act 2006 gave the Healthcare Commission the power to issue improvement notices if it considers that a national health service organisation is not observing the provisions of the Code of Practice in any material respect. The Act, however, includes various other matters that the commission needs to take into account before this power is exercised. The commission is currently reviewing the arrangements in all 41 trusts whose annual health check and rating published in October 2006 gave rise to concern with respect to health care associated infection. This programme will be completed by the end of March. The commission has assured me that if this work reveals evidence of any material failures to observe the provision of the code the issue of formal improvement notices will be likely to follow.

In addition, trusts are being required to make a specific declaration by 1 May regarding their observance of the code as part of the next annual health check cycle. The Healthcare Commission will follow up these declarations as part of a programme to review the application of the code in trusts where there may be risks of inadequate performance. The issuing of improvement notices is an important power to help secure the safety of patients and the commission will use this new power when it is appropriate.

Independent Reconfiguration Panel

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision was reached in each case which she referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel; and by what date a decision is expected in each case which has not yet been decided. [122628]

Andy Burnham: The Secretary of State has referred four cases to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) for advice. The four cases equate to seven separate referrals from Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSC). Details of the cases and their outcomes are listed. A further case in East Kent was referred to the IRP in April 2003 although this did not relate to a referral from an OSC.

In relation to the ‘Making it Better’ and ‘Healthy Futures’ cases, these are currently with the IRP for consideration. The IRP will advise on the cases by 26 June 2007 and the Secretary of State will make a final decision thereafter.

Cases referred by the Secretary of State for Health to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel:

Proposed changes to maternity services in Calderdale and Huddersfield:

Acute services review in Hartlepool and Teesside:

‘Making it Better’ consultation on. the reconfiguration of in-patient services for women, babies, children and young people in Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and High Peak:

‘Healthy Futures’ reconfiguration of Hospital Services in the North East Sector of Greater Manchester:

Infant Milk

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) supported on the inclusion of synthetic fluorides in infant milk formulas. [112887]

Caroline Flint [pursuant to the reply, 11 January 2007, Official Report, c. 697W]: The Department and the Food Standards Agency have not commissioned or supported research on this topic. The composition of infant formula is harmonised at European Union-level (EU), and for fluoride reflects the recommendation of the EU Scientific Committee for Food that, on safety and nutritional grounds, no minimum level, but a maximum level of 100 micrograms of fluoride per 100 kcal, should be set. This advice recognises the potential fluoride intakes of infants from supplements and/or water used to make up the formula.

Medical Treatments: Somerset

Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals involved in road traffic accidents in (a) Taunton and (b) Somerset in each year since 2000 received hospital treatment as a direct result. [127463]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number of individuals involved in road traffic accidents in Taunton and Somerset is not available in the requested format. Tables have been placed in the Library, which provide data for hospital admissions where the external cause was road traffic accidents for patients who lived in the Dorset and Somerset strategic health authority area since 2000.


19 Mar 2007 : Column 735W

Mental Health Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many mental health patients who committed suicide in the last 10 years were first treated by the NHS on an adult mental health ward when they were under the age of 18 years; [120664]

(2) how many mental health patients who committed a homicide in the last 10 years were first treated by the NHS on an adult mental health ward when they were under the age of 18 years; [120665]

(3) how many times in the last 10 years an inquiry has been carried out into a suicide by a mental health patient where the patient was first treated on an adult mental health ward when they were under the age of 18; [120649]

(4) how many times in the last 10 years an inquiry has been carried out into a homicide by a mental health patient where the patient was first treated on an adult mental health ward when they were under the age of 18. [120650]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 19 February 2007]: Information is not collected in the format requested.

The Confidential Inquiry into homicides and suicides has been asked by the Department (via the National Patient Safety Agency) to collect this information. This process will begin in April 2007.

Mid-Essex Hospital Trust: Hospital Beds

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospital beds there are in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area; and how many there were in (a) January 1997, (b) January 2001 and (c) May 2005. [127985]

Andy Burnham: The following table shows the average daily number of beds at Mid-Essex Hospital Service NHS Trusts for each of the financial years requested.

Total number of beds

1996-97

888

2000-01

843

2005-06

809

Source:
Department of Health form KH03

Midwives: Manpower

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the work force of the NHS in England, expressed in terms of (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent, was represented by midwives in each year since 1997. [122644]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The proportion of the national health service work force represented by midwives since 1997 is shown in the following table. Between September 1997 and September 2005, the number of midwives employed in the NHS has increased by 2,423 (10.8 per cent.).


19 Mar 2007 : Column 736W
Qualified midwifery staff in England as a proportion of the total NHS work force as at 30 September each specified year
Percentage
Headcount Full-time equivalent

1997

2.1

2.1

1998

2.1

2.1

1999

2.1

2.0

2000

2.0

2.0

2001

2.0

1.9

2002

1.9

1.9

2003

1.9

1.8

2004

1.9

1.8

2005

1.8

1.7

Source:
The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical work force census

Multiple Sclerosis: AIDS

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of people in England who have (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) AIDS. [126122]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: We have made no estimate of the number of people living with multiple sclerosis.

In 2005 there were 43,625 individuals living in England diagnosed with HIV infection and who accessed HIV-related care or treatment. Of this number, 9,868 have had an AIDS defining illness between their date of first HIV diagnoses and 2005.

Estimates would suggest that additional to the 43,625 individuals living with diagnosed HIV infection in the United Kingdom, an additional third (approximately 14,000 to 15,000) remain undiagnosed.

National Centre for Health Outcomes Development

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development to report to her Department on the results of their research on emergency readmissions. [112409]

Andy Burnham: The Department expects to receive the report by June 2007.

NHS: Cleaning Services

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since October 2004 matrons have exercised their authority to withhold payment for cleaning services by the process set out in the Matron's Charter. [123487]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: We do not collect this information centrally. The withholding of payment is the final part of a process which provides an ultimate sanction if reconciliation steps fail.

Issues relating to the performance of individual cleaning contractors are managed by the parties to that contract.


19 Mar 2007 : Column 737W

NHS: Finance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the contribution was from the budget of each participating primary care trust to the London-wide NHS Reserve in each year since 2002. [122421]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The following table shows primary care trust (PCT) top-slice forecast outturn to London strategic health authority at quarter three, 2006-07. From 2006-07 we have abolished planned support and given strategic health authorities the ability to generate reserves from top slicing their PCT allocations. This topslicing did not occur previous to 2006-07.

Q3 2006-07 PCT forecast outturn topslice
PCT name £000

Barking and Dagenham PCT

13,045

Barnet PCT

12,816

Bexley Care PCT

7,552

Brent Teaching PCT

12,015

Bromley PCT

10,952

Camden PCT

11,438

City and Hackney teaching PCT

14,840

Croydon PCT

12,462

Ealing PCT

13,042

Enfield PCT

10,294

Greenwich teaching PCT

11,235

Hammersmith and Fulham PCT

8,838

Haringey PCT

10,176

Harrow PCT

7,489

Havering PCT

9,352

Hillingdon PCT

9,045

Hounslow PCT

8,775

Islington PCT

9,932

Kensington and Chelsea PCT

8,034

Kingston PCT

5,924

Lambeth PCT

13,755

Lewisham PCT

11,719

Newham PCT

13,876

Redbridge PCT

9,114

Richmond and Twickenham PCT

6,629

Southwark PCT

11,819

Sutton and Merton PCT

13,553

Tower Hamlets PCT

12,268

Waltham Forest PCT

9,398

Wandsworth PCT

11,376

Westminster PCT

10,783

Source:
Financial monitoring returns quarter 3 2006-07

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